1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an access control apparatus for use by a plurality of users, wherein consecutive visual data for multimedia or video on demand (VOD) use are stored on a shared basis among a plurality of auxiliary memory units and, when a plurality of users try to access the data, every user is equally given an opportunity to access.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the Gazette of the Japanese Patent Laid Open No. Hei 6-250792, there is disclosed a file access control apparatus, which is a low speed device, capable of storing requests entered by a plurality of users for access to a file into a queue storing section and, if the access requests concern entry of data stored in the file, executing the entry process at the highest possible speed by inserting the input requests before output requests already stored in the queue storing section.
This prior art involves a problem that, because input requests for access to data in a file, entered by a plurality of users, are given priority in acceptance over output requests for data in that file, the performance of output processing is deteriorated.
It involves another problem that, as requests for accessing a file, entered by a plurality of users, are stored into a single queue storing section and processed in the sequence of their storage into the queue storing section (first come first served), the plurality of users are not given equal opportunities to access.